Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Aug. 9 that Trendco USA plans to invest $43 million to launch a manufacturing operation in a Tuskegee logistics hub for the production of nitrile medical gloves to expand the U.S. supply.
As part of the deal, Trendco has committed to creating 292 jobs over five years at the Macon County facility in the new Regional East Alabama Logistics (REAL) Park off Interstate 85.
The Columbia, S.C.-based manufacturer also considered sites in Georgia and the Carolinas for the project, according to Made in Alabama, the news site for the state Department of Commerce.
"Trendco decided to locate its manufacturing facility in Tuskegee after considering many locations in other states, and I know that the company made the right choice by selecting Macon County for its investment project," Ivey said.
Trendco is an early-stage company that has been producing medical-grade examination gloves in Louisiana through a partnership with another company. For the Tuskegee operation, it plans to install as many as 10 glove production lines.
Once the glove lines are established at the REAL Park facility, the medical products maker plans to expand production into masks and gowns, ensuring a reliable domestic source for these important personal protection equipment (PPE) items to mitigate potential supply chain disruptions.
"We are very excited about our move to Alabama and look forward to building our PPE manufacturing facility in Tuskegee," Trendco USA CEO Darryl Hunter said in a statement. "We believe the people of Tuskegee and the surrounding communities will play a vital role in our success in the medical technology sector."
Growth Catalyst for REAL Park
Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, noted that Trendco's growth project validates the vision to move forward with ambitious development plans for REAL Park.
"The park is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the growth of the I-85 corridor, and I believe other companies will be putting down roots there in the near future," he added.
Trendco has signed an agreement to lease more than 100,000 sq. ft. of space in Building 100 in REAL Park, where the company will initially set up a distribution operation as it prepares to launch glove production.
The building, a 168,000-sq.-ft. facility, represents the catalyst project for the 700-acre Class A industrial park located off I-85's Exit 42, which runs from Montgomery northeast to Atlanta and Charlotte before intersecting with I-95 — the East Coast's major highway shipping thoroughfare — in Petersburg, Va.
The Macon County Commission, Macon County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA), and other local institutions are supporting the Trendco project with utility upgrades and an industrial access road at the site worth $1.1 million and other in-kind services.
In addition, Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), the state's primary workforce development agency, also is providing services to advance the project.
Alabama Officials Working to Help Trendco USA Thrive
Joe Turnham, director of the MCEDA, said having a completed Class A industrial facility in Building 100 of REAL Park alongside a seasoned development team, led by Farpoint Development and Opportunity Alabama Inc. (OPAL), that was willing to quickly customize the facility to the client's needs, were major factors in winning the project.
OPAL is an Alabama non-profit 501(c)(3) created to be a catalyst for investment in meaningful projects and underserved places across the state.
"Trendco USA also chose our community, in part because of our community's rich history and our local stakeholders' spirit of enthusiastic partnership in assuring their company's success," Turnham explained. "[It] is the only minority-owned medical glove and PPE manufacturer in America and is one of the few companies offering ‘Made in the USA' medical glove products. Now, these gloves will also carry a ‘Made in Tuskegee' label."
REAL Park will eventually offer a combined 6.2 million sq. ft. of space when the project's three phases are completed in five to seven years, according to Justin Patwin, a principal at Farpoint Development, the developer leading the project. The company has offices in Chicago and Asheville, N.C.
"We and our partners at OPAL are very excited to welcome Trendco to REAL Park," Patwin said. "They are making a significant commitment to Macon County and the state of Alabama to bring many new jobs to the community. We feel this is an incredible start to the overall economic impact REAL Park will have in the region."
Significant Investments Impact Rural Areas
Alabama's rural areas continue to register rising levels of economic development, with over $4 billion in new capital investment in the last three years alone, noted Brenda Tuck, the Department of Commerce's rural development manager.
"We're committed to seeing rural Alabama fully realize its growth potential, and [the Trendco USA] project headed to Tuskegee is another illustration of how we're making progress on that front," she said. "Opportunities are flourishing in the state's rural communities, and the business world is paying attention.
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